Air-brake system.



J. R. SNYDER.

AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.

APPHCATION FILED JUNE 10. I914.

Patented June 26, 1917.

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J. R. SNYDER.

AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION mu) JUNE 10. 1914.

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J. R. SNYDER.

AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. I914.

1 ,23 1,081 Patented June 26, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

x; w un WITNESSES v INVENTOR J. R. SNYDER.

AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1914.

Patented June 26, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- INVENTOR wrr- ESSES viz mm unrrn sirn JACOB RUSH SNYDEIR.,.OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO PERCY E. DONNIER, OFPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR-BRAKE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J 11114326, 1917.

Application filed June 10, 1914. Serial N 0. 844,274.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB RUSH SNYDER, a resident of Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a' new anduseful Improvement in Air-Brake Systems, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to air brakes for railway cars, and moreparticularly to what are known as clectro-pneumatic systems.

The object of the invention is to provide in one installation a completepneumatic and a complete electric system, so that in the event of theelectric means being deranged the pneumatic system will still operate inthe usual way to control the train.

The invention comprises the arrangement and construction of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of thoseparts of an air brake system which are involved in the improvements ofthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the electrically operated valveshowing the same in normal release or running position; Figs. 3, 4 and 5are similar views of the valve showing the same respectively in holding,in service and in emergency positions; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionalview through the triple valve, the section being taken on the line 66,Fig. 7; Fig. 7 is a horizontal seetional view of the same taken on theline 77, Fig. 8; Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the same on theline 8-8, Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line99, Fig. 7; Figs. 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views of the triple valveseat and valves showing the same respectively in release and emergencypositions; and Fig. 12 is a view of a modification.

In the accompanying drawings the elec-..

tric system has been shown in connection with a special type of tripleor control valve, which in its essentials is the same as that describedand claimed in my application filed Feb. 13, 1914, Serial No. 818,571,but with certain additions thereto. It is to be understood however, thatthis specific type of triple valve is not essential to the operation ofthe electric system.

In the drawings the train pipe is indicated at 1, having a connection 2.tothe triple or control valve 3. In the particular system illustratedtwo brake cylinders are employed, viz., a service brake cylinder 4 andan emergency brake cylinder 5, there being between these cylinders aconnection other part forming the application chamber 8, and 10 is asupplementary reservoir, all of these parts being connected by suitablepipes, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

I 11 is the electrically actuated valve which in this particularinstance controls a vent from the train pipe and also controls theexhaustion of the brake cylinder, the latter being effected indirectlyby controlling the exhaust from the application chamber piston, as willhereinafter more fully appear.

12 indicates diagrammatically the rotary member of the engineers brakevalve, and inasmuch as this valve may be of any type and performs theusual functions of an engineers valve in increasing and reducing trainpipe pressure to operate the system pneumatically. its pneumaticfeatures are not illustrated, as these will be readily understood. Asthe movable part of the engineers valve is rotated to its variouspositions, to-wit, release, running,'holding, lap, service andemergency, it is also made to effect the several electrical connectionsfor operating the system electrically, and only the necessary electricalconnections are diagrammatically rillustrated. These consist of asuitable contact 14 connected by the main 15 to the positive pole of thesource of current 16; and a. series of contacts arranged in arcuaterelation to the member 12 and in position to be connected to the contact14 by the switch arm 17 in the different positions of the engineersbrake valve. As shown in release position the contact 14 is connected bythe switch 17 to a' pair of contacts 18 and 19; in running position itis connected with contact 20; in holding position it is connected with apair of contacts-21 and 22; in lap position it is connected with contact23; in service position it is connected with a pair of contacts 24 and25; and in emergency position it is connected with contact 26. Thecontact 18 is connected by wire 28 to one terminal of the holding magnet29 whose other terminal is connected by wire 30 with the negative poleof the source of current 16. The contact 24 is connected by wire 31 withone terminal of the service magnet 32 Whose other terminal is alsoconnected by wire 30 with the negative pole of the source of current.The contact 26 is connected by wire 33 with one terminal of theemergency magnet 34 whose opposite terminal is connected by the wire 30with the negative pole of the source of current. The contact 20 isconnected by wire 36 with one member of a pair of contacts 37 arrangedto be closed by means of a circuit closer 38 when the triple valve goesto emergency position, the other member of said pair of contacts beingconnected by wire 39 with the emergency main 88. This arrangementprovides for automatically venting the train pipe at each carelectrically when a hose bursts, and, consequently, it is desirable thatthis should be effected not only when the engineers brake valve is inrunning position, but also when it is in all other positions exceptemergency posi tion. To this end the main 36 is connected by branch 40with the contact 19; by branch 41 with contact 21; by branch 42 withcontact 23, and by branch 43 with contact 25; so that the same effect isproduced whenever a hose bursts, whether the engineers valve be inrelease, running, holding, lap or service position.

The contact 22 is also connected by wire 44 with the main 28 leading tothe holding magnet, so that the same condition of the holding magnet ismaintained in holding as in release position.

46 indicates the usual equalizing valve piston of the engineers brakevalve. The stem 47 of said piston at its lower end carries a circuitcloser 48 which when the equalizing piston is in elevated positionconnects the terminals 49 and 50, the former of which is connected bywire 51'with the main 15 coming from the positive pole of the source ofcurrent, while the latter is connected by wire 52 with the main 31leading to the service magnet. Consequently, the circuit through theservice magnet is maintained as long as the equalizing piston 46 is upand entirely irrespective of whether the engineers brake valve is inservice position or has been returned to lap position since when theengineers brake valve is moved to service position, the piston 46 movesup and remains up even though the engineers brake valve is returned tolap position and independently of the length of time the brake valve hasbeen held in service position. The proper evacuation of the train pipeat the car is thus insured irrespective of the length of time theengineer keeps his brake valve in service position. i

Fig. 2,

The electrically actuated valve 11 coniprises a suitable seat 54 inwhich are two ports, viz., a port 55 leading to the atmosphere and asmall port 56 which connects by pipe 57to the exhaust port of the triplevalve, and the chamber 58 of the valve is open to the train pipeconnection. 0n the seat 54 is a small slide valve 59 provided in itsunder face with a small cavity 60 and which valve is actuated by thestem 61 of a suitable member 62 which may be either a cross head or apiston arranged to be actuated by the several magnets hereinbeforedescribed. As shown, theseveral magnets are provided with armatures orcores of different length. F or instance, the holding magnet has arelatively short core 64, the service magnet a longer core 65, and theemergency magnet a still longer core 66. The valve normally stands inthe position shown in being held in that position by the tension of aspring 67. In this position the cavity 60 connects the triple valverelease port 56 with the exhaust port When the holding magnet 29 isenergized its core 64 pushes the valve 59 inwardly (see Fig. 3)sufliciently to break this connection and blank all ports, so that theexhaust from the triple valve is closed, thereby permitting the trainpipe to be recharged while holding the brakes applied. When the servicemag net 32 is energized its core 65 pushes the slide valve 59 to theposition shown in Fig. 4, in which a small. vent is opened from thetrain pipe to the exhaust 55, thereby getting a light venting of thetrain pipe at each car. Nhen the emergency magnet 34 is energized itscore 66 pushes the valve 59 over still farther, (shown in Fig. 5), so asto fully open the exhaust 55, thereby producing a sudden reduction intrain pipe pressure at each car. V

The triple valve comprises the usual main piston 70 working in a chamber71 connected through passage 72 on its outer face with the train pipe,while its inner face is subject to auxiliary reservoir pressure inchamber 73, as is usual. The stem 74 of piston 70 actuates the usualvalves, which in the present instance are shown as a main slide valve 75working on the seat 76 and having a slight lost motion connection withthe piston stem 74, and a graduating slide valve 77 which moves on theupper face of the main slide valve and has no lost motion connectionwith the main piston stem. These two valves control a number of ports inthe valve seat 76 to effect the various functions of the valve as fullydescribed in the application hereinbefore identified, but as only two ofthe positions are of importance with the improvements of the presentapplication, only those two positions are shown and only the activeports in those two positions are described. These two positions arerespectively release position shown in Fig. 10 and emergency positionshown in Fig. 11.

In release position the slide valve 75 effects the usual releasefunction and in addition the notch 79 therein uncovers port 80, fromwhich a passage 81 leads to a chamber 82 on the outer face of theemergency brake cylinder valve hereinafter more fully described. Inemergency position the slide valve 7 5 effects the usual emergencyfunctions and in addition the auxiliary reservoir is connected to port83 leading to the application chamber, (but this has no effect ex ceptto reduce the auxiliary reservoir pressure), and the chamber 82 of theemergency brake cylinder valve is exhausted by having the port 80connected by cavity 84L in the main slide valve to exhaust port 85.

The emergency brake cylinder valve 86 is substantially in the form of apiston and controls a port 87 connected by passage 88 to the emergencybrake cylinder. On its upper face it is subject to whatever pressure maybe in the chamber 82 hereinbefore referred to and also to the action ofspring 89 which normally holds said valve to its seat. Its under faceoutside of the valve seat 87 is subject, in the annular space 90, tosupplementary reservoir pressure which enters through passage 91connecting to the longitudinal groove 92 in the triple valve casing.Consequently, when the pressure is released from the outer face of thisemergency valve piston (when the triple valve is in emergency position,as shown in Fig. 11), the supplementary reservoir pressure in theannular space 90 lifts this valve and flows through the port 87 andpassage 88 to the emergency brake cylinder. When the triple valve goesto release position auxiliary reservoir pressure is admitted throughport 80 and passage 81 to the top of the emergency piston valve whichtogether with the spring 89 closes said valve.

The outward movement of the triple valve piston under reductions oftrain pipe pressure is controlled by the graduating stem 94-. which isbacked by the usual graduating spring 95. The stem 94 is slidablethrough a valve 96 and is provided with a collar 97 which when the stemis pushed outwardly by the main piston going toemergency positioncontacts with a sleeve 98 on the valve 96 and pulls said valve from itsseat 99 against which it is normally held by spring 100, and train pipepressure on its outer face. When the valve 96 is unseated, it connectsthe train pipe chamber 101 to a passage 102 leading to vent port 103. Inthis passage is a seat 104: with which cooperates the emergency ventvalve 105 which is normally held against said seat by spring 106, butwhich is unseated by the outward flow of train pipe pressure wheneverthe val e 96 is unseated. The valve 105 is provided with a stem 107 andwhich carries the circuit closer 38 hereinbefore referred to, and whichtherefore in emergency position of the main piston closes the circuitbetween the terminals 37, the parts 37 and 38 constituting the emergencyswitch of the system. The circuit is, however, closed only a short timeat the terminals 37, because the emergency vent valve is almostimmediately seated by the admission of pressure behind it. The mainslide valve has a long cavity 108, which in emergency position extendsbeyond the end 108 of the valve seat and hence admits auxiliaryreservoir pressure to the port 108 which communicates through passage108 with a port 108 behind the train pipe vent Valve 105.

The triple valve is provided with a supplementary piston 109 whose innerface is subject to service brake cylinder pressure in chamber 110, whichis connected with the service brake cylinder through passage 111; and onits outer face with pressure in the chamber 112 which is connected bypassage 113 to a port 114 in the main valve seat, and which porttogether with application chamber port 83, in service applicationposition is connected with the auxiliary reservoir. In emergencyposition port 114 is connected to supplementary reservoir port 115 sothat in either case pressure is admitted to the outer face of thesupplementary piston 109 to move the same inwardly and actuate thesupplementary slide valve 118, moving the same to such position that itconnects the supplementary reservoir space 119 with the service brakecylinder. In release position the port 114 leading to the outer face ofthe piston 109, as well as the application chamber port 83 are connectedthrough a suitable cavity 120 with exhaust port 121 to which isconnected the pipe 57 leading to the electrically actuated control valve11. Consequently, the pressure can be drained from the chamber 112 onthe outer face of piston 109 only when the valve 11 is in the normalposition shown in Fig. 2, which is its con-. dition when none of thethree magnets 29, 32 and 34 are energized. After the application of thebrakes the engineer will move his brake handle to release position,which as heretofore described will energize the holding magnet 29 andmove the valve 59 to lap position, shown in Fig. 3, which will block theexhaust from the application piston chamber 112, as heretoforedescribed, and will prevent the supplementary valve 118 from moving torelease position. Consequently, while the engineers brake valve handleis in release position, the valve is in effect in holding position, andthe train pipe can be charged without releasing the brakes. This samecondition applies when the engineers brake valve handle is in holdingposition, in which case it closes the circuit from contact 14 to contact22. To release the brakes the engineers brake valve handle is brought torunning position thereby deenergizing the magnet 29 and permitting thespring 58 to move the valve to release position, shown in Fig. 2. Thisdrains the chamber 112 so that the service brake cylinder pressure onthe inner face of piston 109 moves the valve 118 to the release positionshown in Fig. 8, in which the service brake cylinder space 110 isconnected through the cavity 125 to the exhaust port 126.

The triple valve described, in addition to the release and emergencypositions which are specifically illustrated, also has a restrictedrecharging, a service, a service lap, an over-reduction andover-reduction lap position, all of which are fully illustrated anddescribed in the application hereinbefore identified, but inasmuch asthey are not involved in the particular improvements covered by thisapplication they are not illustrated and will not be described. Theseseveral positions of the triple valve are all brought about by producingthe proper variations in train pipe pressure through the manipulation ofthe engineers brake valve, as will be readily understood, and constitutea complete pneumatic system which will operate efi'ectively and in thedesired Way without any interference from or participation therein ofthe electric system, so that should the electric system become deranged,such as by exhaustion of the batteries, the train could nevertheless becontrolled by the pneumatic system alone. The new feature in thepneumatic system disclosed herein consists in a suitable arrangement ofthe ports in the main valve seat so that in emergency applicationposition the supplementary reservoir pressure does not enter the triplevalve chamber at all, but through the medium of the emergency brakecylinder control valve 86 hereinbefore described is admitted directly tothe emergency brake cylinder.

The electrical system is so arranged that it is operated by the usualmanipulations of the engineers brake valve, and requires no specialmanipulation whatsoever. Vhen the engineers brake valve is in releaseposition, the holding magnet 29 is energizedas hereinbefore described toprevent the exhaustion of pressure from the chamber 112 and prevent thesupplementary valve from moving to release position. At the same time bymeans of contact 19 and a wire 36, one of the circuit terminals, 37 isenergized. Consequently, should a hose burst, the circuit closer 38carried by the emergency vent valve will be pushed between the terminals37 and thus complete the circuit by Way of wire 39 to the emergency.magnet 34 and returning through wire 30 to the negative pole of thesource of current,

so that, electrically, there will be produced at each car an emergencyventing of the train pipe so as to get a simultaneous emergency actionof the triple valves on all of the cars of the train. Consequently, inall positions of the engineers brake valve, except emergency position,the circuits are in such condition that in case of a burst hose on anyone car the circuit through the emergency magnets of all cars will beenergized.

In holding position the contact 14: is also connected with contact 22and as the latter is connected to the main 28 the same condition of theholding magnet exists as in release position, viz., a condition in whichthe triple valve cannot release the brakes. In service position thecircuit is completed through the service magnet, and at the same timethe equalizing piston 46 closes the circuit between contacts49 and 50,which are in a shunt from the main circuit, and this will maintain thecircuit closed through the service magnet until proper evacuation of thetrain pipe pressure, because until this occurs the equalizing piston 46will remain elevated. Consequently, the proper evacuation of the trainpipe is secured entirely irrespective of the length of time the-engineermaintains the engineers brake valve in service position.

The electric system described requires no separate means for itsmanipulation, so that the engineer does not need to learn any newpositions for his brake valve, or learn the operation of any switchmembers, the entire change in circuits being effected by merely movingthe engineers brake valve to its usual positions. The electric system inno way interferes with the normal operation of the air system byvariations in train pipe pressure, but insures the substantiallysimultaneous actuation of the brakes throughout the train, either forreleasing, for service application, or for emergency application, andalso insures the simultaneous application of the brakes throughout thetrain, automatically, whenever a hose bursts, and also insures properreduction of train pipe pressure to the necessary degree in serviceapplications, automatically, and irrespective of whether the engineermaintains the brake valve in service position or not.

Fig. 12 shows a modification of the electric magnets, in which eachmagnet controls an independent exhaust valve. As here shown the holdingmagnet 29 through its armature actuates a valve 130 which controls anexhaust port 56 to which the pipe 57 is connected and serves to holdsuch eX- haust closed in holding and release positions of the engineersbrake valve. 2 indicates the train pipe connection from which there aretwo ports, viz., a small service port 131 and a larger emergency port132. The

' and 5.

What I claim is 1. In a pneumatic electric air brake system, thecombination of a train pipe, an engineers valve, a brake cylinder, atriple valve and a local reservoir, valve mechanism for controlling therelease of the brake cylinder and the service and emergency evacuationof the train pipe, a holding magnet, a service magnet and an emergencymagnet for actuating said valve mechanism respectively, a circuitcontroller actuated by movement of the engineers valve and arranged inrelease and holding positions to energize the holding magnet, in serviceposition to energize the service magnet, and in emergency posi tion toenergize the emergency magnet, and in other positions to de'elnergizeall of said magnets.

2. In a pneumatic electric air brake system, the combination of a trainpipe, an engineers valve, a brake cylinder, a triple valve and a localreservoir, a single valve for controlling the release of the brakecylinder and 'for securing service and emergency evacuations of thetrain pipe, three magnets operatively connected to said valve for movingthe same to different positions, circuits connected to said valves, anda circuit controller actuated by movement of the engineers valve andarranged in each of differ ent positions of the latter to energize oneof said magnets.

3. In a pneumatic electric air brake system, the combination of a trainpipe, an engineers valve, a brake cylinder, a triple valve, and a localreservoir, valve mecha nism for controlling the release of the brakecylinder and securing service and emergency evacuations of the trainpipe, a holding magnet, a service magnet, a circuit controller foractuating said several magnets successively in difi'erent positions ofsaid circuit controller, and a circuit closer arranged to be closed bythe triple valve in emergency position and connected to the emergencymagnet circuit. 1

4. In a pneumatic electric air brake system, the combination of a trainpipe, an engineers valve, a triple valve, and a local reservoir, valvemechanism for controlling the release of the brake cylinder and theservice and emergency evacuation of the train pipe, a holding magnet, aservice magnet and an emergency magnet for actuating said valvemechanism, a circuit closer arranged to be closed by the triple valve inemergency position and being connected in the emergency magnet circuit,and a circuit controller movable with the engineers brake valve andarranged in release and holding positions to energize the holdingmagnet, in service position to energize the service magnet, and inemergency to energize the emergency magnet, and in all positions exceptemergency position to connect the circuit closer to a source of current.

5. In a pneumatic electric air brake system, the combination of a trainpipe, an engineers valve, an equalizing valve, a brake cylinder, atriple valve, and a local reservoir, valve mechanism for controlling therelease of the brake cylinder and the service and emergency evacuationof the train pipe, a holding magnet, a service magnet, and an emergencymagnet for-actuating said valve mechanism, a circuit controller arrangedin different positions to energize different ones of said magnets, and acircuit closer actuated by the equalizing valve and arranged to hold theservice magnet circuit closed When the equalizing valve is opened and tobreak said circuit When the equalizing valve closes.

6. Air brake valve mechanism having connections to a train pipe,auxiliary reservoir, brake cylinder, and atmosphere, a movable abutmentfor actuating said valve mechanism and operated by variations in trainpipe pressure for eiiecting the connections between the train pipe andauxiliary reservoir, the auxiliary reservoir and the brake cylinder, andthe brake cylinder and the atmosphere, a supplementary valve mechanismfor controlling communication from a source of pressure to asupplementary brake cylinder, a movable abutment for actuating the same,connections whereby When the main valve mechanism is in release positionfluid pressure is admitted to said supplementary movable abutment tohold the sup plementary valve closed and When the main valve mechanismis in emergency position pressure is exhausted from said supplementaryvalve to open the same, and a plurality of magnets arranged to besuitably energized electrically for controlling the functions of thevalve.

7 Air brake valve mechanism having connections to a train pipe,auxiliary reservoir, brake cylinder, and the atmosphere, a movableabutment operated by variations in train pipe pressure for actuatingsaid valve mechanism to efi'ect connections between the train pipe andauxiliary reservoir, the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder, and thebrake cylinder and atmosphere, a supplementary valve mechanism havingconnections to a supplementary reservoir and a supplementary brakecylinder, a movable abutment for actuating said supplementary valve andsubject on one face to supplementary reservoir pressure, connectionsfrom the main valve mechanism when the latter is in release position toadmit pressure to the opposite face of said supplementary abutment andhold the supplementary valve closed, and connections when the main valvemechanism is in emergency position to vent pressure from the one side ofthe supplementary abutment, whereby the supplementary reservoir pressurewill open the supplementary valve and flow to the supplementary brakecylinder, and a plurality of magnets arranged to be suitably energizedelectrically for controlling the functions of the valve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JACOB RUSH SNYDER.

Witnesses ELBERT L. HYDE, GLENN H. LERESCHE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

